AIM: To determine the rate, causes and risk factors of non-attendance to the paediatric clinic in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia and to determine the efficacy of one telephone call to confirm a new appointment.
METHODS: For all non-attending patients, during a 2-month period, a pro forma was filled up based on patients' records. During a phone call, additional questions were asked, and a new appointment was offered.
RESULTS: Of 1563 patients who had an appointment, 497 (31.8%) were non-attendees. Weather conditions, the sub-specialty and timing (morning or afternoon) had a significant effect on non-attendance. Forgetfulness was the main cause. Only 160 patients could be successfully contacted. Among the contactable patients, 55 already had an appointment, and 10 had reasons not to get a new appointment. Of the 95 remaining patients, 73 (76.8%) attended the new appointment.
CONCLUSION: The non-attendance rate was high. One telephone call had a reasonable efficacy for the contactable patients, but because a high number of patients were not contactable, overall effectiveness was poor.
Study site: Paediatric clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia,
io-electricity generation by Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) has gained considerable attention due to
its integration with wastewater treatment such as Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). Investigation
into pH effect and determination of optimal pH value ranges growth for acidogenic, acetogenic
and methanogenic by natural mixed culture
electroactive bacteria (exoelectrogens) growth
in original non-Deoxygenated Mixed POME
(nDMP) and Deoxygenated Mixed POME (DMP)
in MFC was carried out. Current generation,
power generation and maximum power were
also monitored. Experimental results show that
exoelectrogens in nDMP with pH 6.8 yielded the
highest current generation of 61.51 mAm-2 and
maximum power of 17.63 mWm-2. Overall, nDMP
substrates with 3 pH ranges (5.5, 6.8 and 8.0)
showed equal potential to generate power that is
higher than DMP substrates. Comparison carried
out for inter DMP substrates demonstrated that
DMP with pH 6.8 and DMP with pH 8.0 showed equal potential to generate power, but not for DMP with pH 5.5. Subsequently, nDMP with pH 6.8 and
nDMP with pH 8.0 showed equal potential for higher maximum power compared to nDMP with pH
5.5 and DMP substrates. This finding indicates that mixed microbial communities in DMP substrate
are dominant with obligate anaerobic exoelectrogens bacteria which have less capability to generate
electricity compared to nDMP substrate that was dominated by the aerotolerant and/or facultative
anaerobic exoelectrogens bacteria.